Freedom's Wings a success

Last week, it poured rain on the scheduled Freedom's Wings flying, causing a cancellation.  This week, the fall weather cooperated, and on Thursday the 19th, we got it in.  From Doug L-L:

GGC Members:

 

What a beautiful sunny day to go gliding!  The Puchacz had 7 flights, six were with very appreciative patients from the Ottawa Rehab Hospital (for more information on inspirational flights, see http://www.freedomswings.ca/), and I did the hangar flight with Paul M, a hang glider pilot who thermalled overhead our airfield after an 8 km flight or so, from Indian Creek, west of Bourget.  His first time in a sailplane and he is a natural, and hopefully we may see more of him in the future. His backstory is that he had been a Smokejumper to make some money as a university student, and currently designs MTR equipment as a career.

The L-23 had four flights, one with Roberto F who stayed up for 44 minutes and the others I did with Don H, and after Wolfgang and possibly others had down the ground work, I sent him solo after three check flights, in which I ticked off most of the remaining tasks on Wolfgang's checklist.

Luc S had a nice flight in Mike Seven (the club ASW-24), and Ulo stayed up for 1:53 in his ship (1-35), and John G did 2:02 in Tango Romeo (a club L-33 Solo).  !5 Glider Operations in all. 

Thanks to all that helped, and especially Wolfgang and John W for towing.

 

Now I am off to a Tchaikovsky concert at the NACO, and for a Bloody Caesar and smoked salmon sandwich to wind up a perfect day.

 

Regards,

 

Doug L-L

 

The club is getting ready to send a towplane, single-seat, and a dual-seat glider to Lake Placid for the annual Eastern Ontario wave camp, starting the weekend of the 28th, up until Canadian Thanksgiving.  Several private owners are booked for just short of a week at the Ridge in Pennsylvania, trying for notable distance flights; at Pendleton, the flying operation continues, as students try to get solo or licenced before the snow flies, and all will be treated to the spectacular fall leaves turning colour...  Come out and fly.  The 2013 Online Contest runs until October 1st; let's finish out the year with an OLC push! It is a wonderful time of the year to fly; not hot and humid, no mosquitos, and frequent cold frontal passage to give great soaring.

 

Yay to Don H on his solo; much quieter than a Sea King I reckon!

Mid-September - a lot going on!

On Saturday, September 14th, it was a great day!

Thanks to those who supported the effort to get the gliders to/from Gatineau yesterday and today (on Saturday, club Puchacz JCZ and Jarek T's private SZD-55, on Sunday, JCZ and club L-33 TR), for the "Wings over Gatineau 2013" airshow (at Ottawa-Gatineau airport). Photos courtesy of Rob Williams.  Dan Duclos also has airshow pics at http://s303.photobucket.com/user/danield007/slideshow/Vintage%20Wings%202013?sort=6.

Airshow mascot at the Wings over Gatineau airshow trying out the club SZD-50 Puchacz

Dan D manning the static display of the Puch

Paul G (left) with the airshow mascot (we hope)

Yesterday at Pendleton, we had 27 flights, not including the Gatineau flights. Our Citabria QIH ran like a top, and a lot of flying for IFX, BQN, and TR.  Nick in ST and Roger in AT had nice fall cross country flights (see the OLC for details). If you check the "All North America" club stats on OLC (onlinecontest.org), we have passed 30,000 km of cross country -3/4 of the way around the Earth! Since about half our members post to OLC, it's likely we have gone once around in total this
year!

Returning to flight yesterday was Frank V, with Wolfgang along as safety pilot, testing out his new hip on a nice flight in BQN.  Although it was around 5 PM, they rapidly found lift to 4,000' and moved around the skies enjoying the view of the leaves starting to turn colour. Yay Frank!

We have a new member, who has moved to Ottawa after starting his training at Champlain, Antoine O. He took a half year membership, and started his flying with Tim T, intrepid duty instructor. Say hi to Antoine when you see him at the club.

Jarek and Dan prep'ing 55 for departure (Corsair, Lysander, L-19... good company!)

Also, Roger H gave the traditional Lake Placid briefing. MSC's towplane will be at LKP starting next weekend...  There were flocks of geese formed up heading south on Saturday.  Yikes.

Lake Placid, NY, is the location of our fall mountain wave camp, in association with Montreal Soaring Council from Hawkesbury, Ontario. We each bring a towplane and club aircraft to enjoy a different location, and some mountain flying.  We have a flying week the week before Canadian Thanksgiving, and, weather permitting, compete to see who can fly the highest there. The highest I've heard of from our club is 27,000 above sea level... many others, above 20,000' (we have an agreement with the US FAA that allows us to fly above 18,000' in highly controlled conditions).  Obviously, supplemental oxygen is necessary.  Unfortunately, we are not permitted to carry passengers in the US, and the club dual seat aircraft are busy giving area checks to club pilots to allow them to operate safely.   The airfield at Pendleton is still active, however, while many of us are enjoying the sights of Lake Placid.  More on mountain wave at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_wave. 

Rising to the Occasion - from MSC Lake Placid webpage (in mountain wave).

Sandrine also cooked up a bunch of great chicken fajitas after flying most of the day with Wolfgang and working on a new chalkboard for the flight shack.  She flew with Wolfgang lots today, polishing skills so she can solo soon.

Martin towed to/from Gatineau airshow in DYI (club Pawnee), and topped up the right brake on the Pawnee.

So, an airshow, briefings, a bunch of flying, and a good meal... You should'a been here!